Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has accused the University of Abuja of illegally claiming excess land, reducing its allocated space at the Giri District permanent site from over 11,000 hectares to 4,000 hectares.
Wike made the declaration on Monday during the commissioning of access roads in Giri by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, who represented President Bola Tinubu at the event. The roads serve key institutions, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Academy.
Once Nigeria’s third-largest university by landmass, the University of Abuja has now dropped to eighth following the land reallocation. According to Wike, the university fenced off land without official documentation or approval, prompting the FCT Administration to reclaim and redistribute the excess property.
“This road has helped us to stop the land grabbing by the University,” Wike stated. “They just wake up, start fencing everywhere with no document. That is not how to operate. We will give them 4,000 hectares. The rest will be reallocated because we’re providing roads and infrastructure.”
Wike also revealed plans to accommodate other federal institutions, including the National Assembly’s legislative institute, within the district. He emphasized the importance of infrastructure in encouraging development, citing the EFCC Academy as a prime example.
Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, echoed Wike’s remarks, praising the project as a reflection of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. She lauded the infrastructure initiative as a driver of connectivity and economic growth.
EFCC Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, represented by Secretary Muhammad Hammajoda, credited Wike’s intervention for enabling the long-awaited development of the EFCC Academy. With the new road in place, he confirmed that work on the academy and a cybercrime research centre would now begin.
What you should know
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has accused the University of Abuja of land encroachment and has officially cut its site allocation from 11,824 to 4,000 hectares.
The reclaimed land will be redistributed, with new roads in the area enabling development of key institutions like the EFCC Academy.
